Finding Home

ACT 1

EXT. THE STREETS - ACORN BLUFFS - MORNING

Mid-September 2018; the "rough" part of a town at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains called Acorn Bluffs

This part of town is quiet and feels empty. The air smells of gasoline and aggressive shouts can be heard a block away. Brick houses and roughly-painted apartments line the streets. Overgrown yards with rusty fences surround the small homes and scrappy dogs bark at passing cars. Old oaks shade the road, where three small hens scuttle along, trying to stay out of the road while avoiding the chained dogs nearby. PINKY stumbles, unable to see. GALE guides her with soft puttering sounds. HERMIONE keeps a lookout for predators while rambling about water chemistry and the importance of not drinking out of puddles.

CUT TO LATE SEPT. 2018:

EXT. BUSY CENTER OF TOWN - ACORN BLUFFS - LATE MORNING

Cars rumble by and rats scamper through the allies. Two stray dogs fight over a slice of pizza. Stores line the wide road and people hurry down the streets, hoping to get home before the imminent storm. The sky is dark and overcast. OUR HENS hurry down the streets as well, hoping to find a safe place to hide from the rain. GALE and HERMIONE argue about which direction to search for a shelter.

GALE

Nah, Hermione, I'm telling ye, we should head down that alley. It's sheltered from the road completely.

PINKY

Guys- It doesn't really matter-

GALE

Yes, it does matter! Ye can't even see what's going on out here, Pink.

HERMIONE

The alley is full of rats and dogs, which can carry rabies and leptospirosis. Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system, and there's no treatment! It's far safer to follow the sidewalk.

GALE

Why're ye acting so dafty? It makes far more sense to take the alley: Pinky can follow the wall and doesn't have to worry about tumblin' into the road. We're completely out of sight o' the road and partially sheltered from the rain. What are the chances of catching that random disease??

PINKY

Guys, don't fight...I'll go either way, I don't mind.

Thunder growls in the near distance, and PINKY flinches. GALE steps closer to her.

HERMIONE

Fine, we'll take the alley, I guess, but I'm blaming you if one of us starts convulsing and choking from rabies!

GALE

Eeew, Hermie, we didn't need to hear that. But thanks anyway, c'mon Pink!